Disappearance of Rezo's Ghost: Babbit's tale
by Yvintia
Summary: This is the sequel to The Dragon Slave Recovery Spell. OCRezo... Or at least his ghost.
1. Babbit sets off

Chapter One: Babbit Sets Off

Disclaimer: I don't own Slayers, or any of their characters. However, I own Babbit, Yeshta, Pickle, and Slipper. Varunia belongs to my sister. 

Note: This is the sequel to "The Dragon Slave Recovery Spell". Please see it for reference as to what exactly happened with Rezo. ^_^

Enjoy!

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Babbit Graywords sighed, strapping a sword to her left hip. 

"Are you sure about this?" Babbit's mother, Yeshta asked uncertainly. Babbit glanced around her bedroom once more, checking to make sure there was nothing she was forgetting to bring. The light of the new morning shone brightly through the window, making the plain wooden floor gleam as though it had been polished. 

"Completely." Babbit met the worried eyes of her mother and smiled reassuringly. "Don't worry, Mama. I have all the things I'll need." This didn't' reassure Yeshta at all. Her turquoise eyes held a worried expression that Babbit had rarely seen before. 

"Except a suitable traveling companion. You know how dangerous it is for a girl to travel alone." Yeshta voiced her concern quietly. Babbit set her hand on her mothers' shoulder. 

"Mama, if it bothers you that much, I'll get Pickle to escort me for a while, okay?" Babbit said quietly. 

"Okay." Yeshta agreed. She looked at Babbit and smiled. "Be sure to come home in one piece, okay?" With a swish of long hair, Yeshta left the room. Babbit watched her mother leave. 

"She worries too much." She muttered to herself, putting things in a small pack. She considered what she had said. She would have to find her cousin Pickle now, and let him fallow her around her at least a few days before her mother would be satisfied. She truly didn't even know where to begin looking for him. And even if she did manage to find him, she didn't want to have to deal with the bills his eating habits would generate. She closed the top of the pack and reached for the top of her dresser. She picked up a hair ribbon and tied her raspberry colored hair at the base of her neck. It simply wouldn't do to have it flying around while she was traveling. As she picked up the pack, there was a knock on her bedroom door. 

"Come in." She answered. The door was pushed open, and she saw her father, Zelgadiss. 

"You're about ready to go?" He asked quietly. She smiled. 

"Yes." As she answered, he held out a small bag to her. She took it, and opened it curiously. It contained twenty gold coins, as well as a few silver coins. 

"If you ever get in to any trouble, you can come home." He looked at her directly in the eyes. "Always." A smile played across her lips. 

"Don't worry, it's not like I'll be gone forever." She tucked the coins in her belt. "Thank you, Papa." She dropped a quick kiss on his cheek, and walked past him, down the well-lit hallway. She walked out of the house, and passed her brother, who was sitting on the wooden porch and playing a flute. 

"You're leaving, huh?" He asked, pausing in his song. 

"Yeah." She stared at the road ahead. She turned to him with a smile. "Froy! Don't tell me you're actually _worried_ about me!" Her jest was met with a cold glare. 

"Why would I worry about you? You're just my bossy big sister." He smiled for a moment, then looked worried. With one hand, he plucked a green leaf off a climbing rose vine that grew along the support beams to the roof. "Mother and Father are worried about you." He studied the leaf for a moment, then crumpled it up. 

Babbit sighed. "And here I thought it was normal for parents to worry about their kids…" She smiled again. Froy looked at her with his dark green eyes. 

"Babbit, I'm serious. They're really worried after what happened…" He trailed off, and tossed the crumpled leaf on to the ground. Babbit frowned. It had been only a week since she had been possessed by Rezo, and her parents were worried about it reoccurring. She forced a laugh, and ruffled her younger brother's blonde hair.

"Don't worry Froy, everything's fine." She turned away from him. "And quit doing that to the plants. Mother isn't pleased with that sort of thing." She waved, and began to walk away. "Take care of things while I'm gone, okay?"

"Babbit." Froy's voice made her stop. She turned a little to glance back at him. 

"What?" She asked, trying not to sound strained. 

"I don't know what's up, and maybe it's not my place to say this, but you better be watching out for more then just dragons, okay?" Froy brought his flute to his lips, and resumed his song. Babbit turned away from him. 

"Sure." She answered quietly, then set off on the road. 

Was that not exciting? (Ooh, I sound sarcastic! ^_^) Please R&R! I'll post more if you like it! 


	2. Discussion with Rezo

Chapter Two: Discussion with Rezo

Disclaimer: I don't own Slayers, or any of their characters. However, I own Babbit, Yeshta, Pickle, and Slipper. Varunia belongs to my sister. 

Note: This is the sequel to "The Dragon Slave Recovery Spell". Please see it for reference as to what exactly happened with Rezo. ^_^

Enjoy!

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It was nearly dark when she stopped at an inn for the night. 

"I know there's one near..." She whispered to herself as she walked up the stairs to the room she had rented. 

"_One what?_" Rezo appeared beside her as she closed the door. She lit the lamp, which brightened the room. For the most part, it was a nice room. It was clean, with a smooth wooden floor and bed tucked in one corner. A window decorated the wall, across the room from the bed. From the window, there was a lovely view of road she had traveled on. The room itself was a bit on the small side, but that's what she had come to expect from inns. She looked at Rezo, who was nearly transparent. 

"A crater left from a Dragon Slave." She didn't need to explain more, as she had told him about it a few days ago. She was on a journey to repair damage that had been done by a Dragon Slave. While Rezo had possessed her body, she had completed the restoration spell. Now that her body was her own again, she was looking foreword to using the spell. 

"I'm supposed to be looking for my cousin Pickle as well." She added after a moment of thought. 

"_He's in Atlas City._" Rezo commented in an almost helpful manner.

"Is that so." She gazed at Rezo for a moment. "Hm. Might I inquire as to what he's doing there?" 

"_Teaching the way of Shabernigdo._" Rezo answered calmly. For a moment, Babbit wondered if he was teasing her. 

"Pickle? _Teaching_ something?" She asked in wonder. 

"_He seemed to be under the command of someone with blue hair and a horn._" Rezo continued. 

"Blue hair? Horn?" She paused a moment. "_Valgarv?_" She asked in confusion.

"_No, I did not mean to mislead you. The person is female._" Rezo paused again. "_And was very upset that I was nearby._" Stranger and stranger! Babbit was thoroughly confused. 

"I thought that you ghost-type people were only visible when you _wanted_ to be." She said thoughtfully, then laughed. "I suppose we'll have to see what is happening later. For now, I sleep." She blew out the lantern, and collapsed on to the bed. 

"_Good night, Babbit._" Rezo said, and faded away. Babbit yawned. 

"Good night, Rezo." She mumbled, and quickly fell asleep. 

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^_^ Rezo! Welcome back! ^_^ I do believe that this may have some Babbit/Rezo romance develop in it... What? Why not? What do you mean, "because they're related"? Babbit will tell you herself the chimeraizim is a perfectly good way to wreck your genes! R&R, please!


	3. Cast the Spell, Babbit!

Chapter Three: Cast the spell, Babbit!

Disclaimer: I don't own Slayers, or any of their characters. However, I own Babbit, Yeshta, Pickle, and Slipper. Varunia belongs to my sister. 

Note: This is the sequel to "The Dragon Slave Recovery Spell". Please see it for reference as to what exactly happened with Rezo. ^_^

Enjoy!

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In the morning, she was quite excited about the spell. After a quick breakfast of an omelet, she set off in the direction that Rezo said the crater was in. She found it in relatively short time, and started taking things out of her pack in preparation for the spell. It was not a difficult spell, but required proper preparations and a good deal of time. 

"But I have all the time in the world." She muttered to herself. She took a moment of time to clear some weeds from a patch of soil, and began drawing a diagram. The crater itself was not large, as Dragon Slave craters go, but Babbit could think of at least three different villages that could have fit in it. There were some plants growing along the walls of the crater, mostly weeds, but some moss as well. She chanted an incantation as she drew, being very careful to pour the right amount of magical energy in to each section. She wondered for just an instant if a diagram on paper would work just as well as one carved in the ground, but quickly forgot the thought, as this required a very large amount of her attention. Finally, when the diagram was complete, she stood over it, and chanted the final words of the spell. The diagram glowed, and magical energy poured out, much more then Babbit had put it, as part of the diagram included a magic amplifier. When the light from the diagram died down, the crater had been filled in and now was covered in a grassy plain. She smiled to herself. She knew that the restored land would be very good to live on, and it was only a matter of time before someone discovered it. She wobbled on her feet, and fell to her knees. 

"Oh!" She gasped. The spell had exhausted her body. Before, when Rezo had cast it, he was channeling his magical energy through her, and she couldn't feel the exhaustion as much. She heard a few voices chuckling behind her, and turned a little bit to face them. There were three men who looked to be the unlawful type. 

"Well, isn't this convenient? And here we were just thinking about how we needed a little income." The tallest one commented dryly. 

"This should be fun." Another one agreed. 

"Stay away from me." Babbit whispered. She desperately tried to draw up enough magical energy for a fireball, but failed, falling foreword again. Her face pressed against the soft dirt. _I can't die like this…_ She thought, and struggled to make her body move. None of her limbs obeyed her command, so she remained on the dirt as the thieves approached. A tear slid down her face, dampening the soil.

"_Stop._" Rezo appeared, standing between the fallen Babbit and the thieves. "_You will not touch her._" 

"Ma... Ma... Mazoku!" One of them screamed, and they all ran away. In that moment, Babbit was very relieved that she had come to know Rezo. 

"_Are you all right?_" He asked, kneeling beside her. 

"I can't move." She answered quietly. Again, she tried to move her limbs, and failed.

"_Draw energy from me._" He offered, reaching a hand down to her. His hand brushed lightly against her forehead, as he gave her energy. 

"Stop." She whispered slowly. "That's enough, I don't want to hurt you." Another tear slid down her face. The energy stopped flowing. 

"_Dear child, do not worry. I will not be harmed._" He smiled. She pushed herself in to a sitting position with her arms. 

"I'll make it back to the inn on my own." She rose slowly to her feet. "Please don't help me." She felt a bit bad for saying that after he rescued her, but didn't want to be so weak that she needed a ghost to carry her every time she fell down. 

"_I understand._" He disappeared. She wondered for a moment if she had offended him terribly. She turned her attention to getting back to the inn. She would rest first, and worry later. 

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Well, well, Babbit! That wasn't very kind of you! What will the readers think? What's that? They can tell you when they review? That's true! R&R, please! "^_^" 


	4. Pickle, High Preist of Shabernigdo!

Chapter Four: Pickle, High Priest of Shabernigdo! 

Disclaimer: I don't own Slayers, or any of their characters. However, I own Babbit, Yeshta, Pickle, and Slipper. Varunia belongs to my sister. 

Note: This is the sequel to "The Dragon Slave Recovery Spell". Please see it for reference as to what exactly happened with Rezo. ^_^

Enjoy!

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She must have slept for days. When she came to, she was ravenously hungry and stiff, as though she had not moved for days. She sat in bed for a moment, trying to recall what exactly had happened. She had stumbled back to the inn after casting a Restoration Spell, and collapsed on her bed. She gathered her things, deciding that it was time for her to travel on. She ate a delicious breakfast at the inn, then paid and began on her way. She had decided that she ought to go see what Pickle was up to in Atlas City. If he had truly become one of Shabernigdo's little minions, the kindest thing she could do would be to put him out of his misery, before his mother found out about it. 

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Surprisingly, it only took her a week to reach Atlas City. On her way there, she had found an elderly man with a cart of vegetables who was also going to Atlas City, and he was kind enough to let her ride along. In return, she had run off a group of bandits that had tried to rob him. There was one thing that bothered her, though. She hadn't seen Rezo since that day she had cast the Restoration Spell. She was beginning to miss his company. She blinked, and shook her head. Now was not the time to be concerned with things like that. After all, what kind of person simply stood in the busy streets of Atlas City and cried? At the moment, she was busy truing to locate the newly built temple of Shabernigdo in this rather large city. When she did find it, she stood in awe of it. It was much, much larger than she had expected, towering above the other nearby buildings. She walked up the steps in an almost reverent quietness. She entered the grand structure through the large entrance located at the top of a small flight of stairs. A man wearing a brown robe greeted her. 

"Welcome to the Temple of Shabernigdo, home to those who fallow in his glory. How may I help you?" He whispered in a raspy voice. She had to lean over to hear him. 

"I'm looking for Pickle Gabriev. Is he here today?" She asked, matching the man's voice in volume. She glanced around the grand entry hall, and wondered how long the temple had been here. The details in the decoration were absolutely amazing. The walls were covered with paintings that appeared to be simple, but when inspected they revealed marvelous detail. The white pillars that supported the ceiling had vines made of silver twining around them, and even the floor itself had carvings etched in to it.

"Ah, you wish to see High Priest Pickle? Yes, he is here today. I shall guide you to his Eminence, but he may not see you today. He is a very busy man." The man turned and led Babbit through the corridors. They passed many rooms full of men who were doing various things. In one room, the men were busy preparing some kind of meal. In another, they were studying books. In another, they were heating hot tubs of wax. Babbit didn't even want to guess what they were going to do with those. The thing that was bothering her about this whole operation was that there were no women anywhere. She presumed it was because they appeared to be some sort of monk, and dearly hoped that it was that and not a more sinister reason. Eventually, they reached a room that had a closed door. The door was made of a dark oak, studded with a large amount of metal. 

"Oh great Priest Pickle, there is one who wishes to have an audience with you." The man cried in a shrill voice. A few moments passed before Pickle's voice calmly replied. 

"Send them in." At Pickle's response, the man opened the door just enough for Babbit to fit through. She went in, and the man closed the door behind her. She blinked in surprise at what she saw. Pickle was sitting on an elegant throne that was at the center of a large diagram. He was wearing long and extravagant robes, which Babbit thought looked very unnatural on him. The robes varied in colors, each color managing to contrast well with Pickle's long green hair. He looked surprised for a moment, then smiled and stood up. 

"Babbit! What are you doing here?" He walked up to her and shook her hand. 

"I could ask you the same thing." She replied slowly. 

"Oh, you mean this?" He gestured to the room, and the throne in the middle. "This is the room where I receive visions from "Shabernigdo"." He smiled. "You will stay for dinner, won't you? I'd love to hear about what's been going on outside of the Temple of Shabernigdo."

"Sure, I'll stay for dinner, but I want to know what on Earth you're talking about." 

"Heh heh heh. Come on, I'll tell you after dinner." He clapped his hands loudly, summoning a monk. "Take this person to the most ornate chambers in the temple." He commanded loudly. The monk bowed, and led Babbit down the hall. As she walked, she wondered if Pickle had been possessed by a mazoku. It just wasn't like her brainless cousin to control something this big. The monk left her as soon as they reached the chambers. She was quite surprised at the size and lavish decoration of the room. 

"Well... He _did_ say the most ornate chambers in the temple." She said in wonder. Nearly every inch of the walls had grand paintings on them, as well as the ceiling. The ivory pillars that supported the ceiling had amazingly diminutive designs etched in to them. The floor itself was made of polished marble, and about half of it was covered with thick blue carpeting. There were four large windows covered by thick purple drapes, and a grand balcony at the end of the room that had a thin sky blue veil across the entrance to it. Babbit walked around the room in wonder. What kind of thing had she gotten herself in to?

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Pickle! He's Gourry and Lina's son, well, one of them anyways! What do you think of him? Is he a dork? Is he cool? Let me know by reviewing! ^_^ \/


	5. Audiance with Shabernigdo

Chapter Five: Audience with "Shabernigdo" 

Disclaimer: I do not own Slayers, or any of their characters. However, I do own Babbit, Yeshta, Pickle and Slipper. Varunia is borrowed from my sister. 

Enjoy!

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That evening, at dinner, she was seated beside Pickle. The dining room was quite spacious, and filled with monks. There were many tables full of them; all a few steps lower then the table that she was sitting at. The table of the High Priest Pickle was on a platform, as he supposedly was the most important person here. He clapped his hands loudly, calling everyone to attention. They all sat in perfect silence, waiting for their Priest to speak. 

"Fellow followers of Shabernigdo! He has blessed us this day!" He held one hand in Babbit's direction. "He has sent us the great Rezo, to heal out bodily injuries and teach us in the ways of health!" The monks cheered wildly. Babbit grabbed Pickle's arm, pinching him through the robes. 

"You idiot! What are you thinking? I'm not Rezo!" She hissed. 

"Fake it. They won't be able to tell the difference." He shrugged. 

"I haven't studied _that_ much healing magic!" 

"So have him possess you again." He raised his voice again. "We will begin healing tomorrow! For tonight, be thankful and dine!" 

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For dinner, they were served plain white rice and pickled vegetables. There were also thin strips of meat that Babbit couldn't identify, so she avoided them. After dinner, she walked with Pickle out to the gardens, where he promised to explain things to her. The sky was at it's best, as there was no moon to outshine the sea of stars tonight. As they walked through rows of plants, some decorative, some productive, he began to speak.

"Well, it's kinda like this. I was wandering around and looking for some work, when these weird monk guys carried me up to a volcano. I thought they were going to throw me in, but instead, they summoned some girl that they kept calling "Shabernigdo". Personally, I didn't think that Shabernigdo would be a _girl_, of all things, but I didn't tell _them_ that. They might have decided to throw me in to the volcano after all. Anyways, they promised me that if I would be the bodyguard for her, I would get free food and tons of money. Somehow, I've become the high priest too, which isn't so bad. I get even better free food, and the money is building up quite nicely. I'm going to send some home in a week or so." Pickle paused finally. "What are you doing here?" 

"I am restoring the land which has been destroyed by a Dragon Slave. My mother was worried about me traveling alone, so she told me to look you up and maybe have you escort me for a while. But, since you're the "high priest" and all, you won't be having time for something like that." She said sarcastically. "And **WHY** did you tell all those guys that I'm Rezo? It's not true and you know it!" 

"She'll explain it to you." He shrugged, and gestured to a gazebo in the middle of the garden. Babbit grumbled something, and went in to the gazebo. Stretched out leisurely on the many cushions, there was a girl who made Babbit think of Valgarv. She wondered for a moment if they might be related, but shook the thought away. 

"So. You're Pickle's cousin?" She asked. 

"That I am. And who might you be?" Babbit asked, carefully sitting down. 

"Didn't he tell you? I'm Shabernigdo." 

"Yeah, that's what he said. Why do you look so much like Valgarv?" Babbit asked, starting to feel irritated. The girl blinked. 

"You know my father?" 

"Your father?" They stared at each other for a moment. 

"Hm. This could make things interesting." The girl smiled smugly. "Yes, my father is Valgarv. My name is Varunia. A while ago, I scared some dweebs in to thinking I was Shabernigdo. Things have just gone from there." Varunia shrugged. "Now it's your turn. Who are you?" 

"Babbit Graywords. I'm currently trying to restore land that has been destroyed by a Dragon Slave. My stupid cousin told all your little minions that I was Rezo."

"I guess you'll just have to pretend to be him. I expect you to heal my poor little minions so they can have some illusion of happiness." She sighed, and looked away. "They can be such a pain sometimes..." Babbit stood up. 

"Thank you for your time." She said flatly, then walked out of the gazebo in a controlled manner. She stalked by Pickle. 

"Did she help you figure things out?" He asked. Babbit ignored his question and stormed back inside the temple. She was not in the mood for Pickle and his moronic questions. 

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Ahh, the plot is developing! ^_^ GO GRAYWORDS! ^_^ R&R, please. 


	6. Dear One

Chapter Six: Dear One... 

Disclaimer: I do not own Slayers, or any of their characters. However, I do own Babbit, Yeshta, Pickle and Slipper. Varunia is borrowed from my sister. 

Enjoy!

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Although it took her quite a while, she did manage to locate the chambers that she had left her things in. Se closed the door behind her. She didn't want to be here at all. She wished she could just sneak out at night, but there were many things wrong with that plan. First, she was sure that there would be some sort of patrols around the building. Second, Varunia made her think of a Mazoku, so she was sure that even if she tried to run away, she would most likely be caught. Third, even if Varunia didn't come after her, Pickle would most likely send word of her doing something wrong to his parents, which would be sure and reach her home. She truly didn't want to do anything that would disappoint her parents. Of course, she didn't think her father would be very happy if he found out that she was impersonating Rezo, but there didn't seem to be anything she could do about it right now. She felt tears well up in her eyes. She didn't like being in a situation like this. She lit a single candle, and sat down at a small table with it in front of her. She crossed her arms and leaned her head on them, staring in to the flame. It was actually quite dark outside, with only the shining stars to light the night. She sat there for many moments, trying to think of what to do. 

"Rezo?" She called. She waited a moment, listening to the silence. "Rezo, don't be angry with me. Please." She waited. This time, her waiting was rewarded by Rezo, who appeared near her elbow. 

"_Dear one, you seem distressed. What is it?_" He asked in a concerned tone. 

"You left me alone for so long." She replied, tears welling in her voice. "I was afraid that I had offended you so much that I would never see you again." Before he could answer, she continued. "And now, my idiotic cousin has told everyone here that I am you, and they're expecting me to perform healing on them." 

"_I understand. Do not worry, for I have not become so offended that I would never come to you again._" He reached out a hand to her, gently touching her face. A warm tear fell from her eye and landed on his hand. "_If you would like, I shall aid you in the healing._" They stood there for a long moment, until Babbit began to wipe the tears from her eyes.

"Take my body." She said abruptly. 

"_What?_" He asked, seeming surprised.

"Take my body." She repeated. "Possess me again. I want to be your eyes." He didn't reply, so she continued. "I feel bad about what I said, and want to make it up to you." 

"_Babbit, you would allow me to use your eyes once more?_" He asked as though he was not certain of what he heard. 

"Yes, I want to." She nodded in affirmatively. She closed her eyes, and held out her arms to him. "Come." He waited a moment, then stepped to her. He embraced her tenderly for a moment, before dissolving and becoming one with her. She felt his spirit in her body, and she saw her eyes open again. Now her body was in Rezo's control. He sat perfectly still at the table she had been at, staring at the candle. He was completely mesmerized by it. She did not say anything to him at all. She knew this was probably the first time he had seen a candle in his entire life. To say anything would dishonor this moment. She saw tears building up in her eyes again. She could feel his wonder at the tiny, yet infinitely beautiful flame. He watched it for a very long time in awe, until it flickered and died, drowned in the wax that had long since melted. Her hands came up and wiped a tear from her eye. Rezo suddenly departed from her body. 

"_I... I've never seen something like that._" He wiped a tear from his face. She smiled. 

"I know." She whispered. He faded away in to the darkness, leaving Babbit alone once more. "A candle, when lit is a beautiful thing. But you, Rezo, can appreciate it more then anyone else that I know." She spoke to the darkness. She didn't know if her heard her, but decided not to worry about that. "Good night." She spoke again.

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^_^ A touch of romance for you who enjoy it! ^_^ Babbit-chan really missed Rezo a lot, ya know... R&R, please!


	7. Rezo's advice on clothing

Chapter Seven: Rezo's advice on clothing 

Disclaimer: I do not own Slayers, or any of their characters. However, I do own Babbit, Yeshta, Pickle and Slipper. Varunia is borrowed from my sister. 

Enjoy!

*********************************************************************** The next morning, Babbit rose early, before the sun had even come up. As she had been falling asleep the night before, she decided that it would be best if she looked a little more like Rezo. She knew that she didn't have any robes in her pack, and had decided to ask Pickle if she could barrow some of his. So, she set out to find Pickle, before dawn. She thought that the best place to look would be in the "vision receiving room" that he had been in the day before. As she walked through the halls, she was pleased that none of the monks tried to delay her. As a matter of fact, she didn't come across any of them. That surprised her, but she was glad. She managed to find the room in a relatively short time, and went in without knocking. The room tingled with the faint scent of _sake_. Pickle was seated on the throne, asleep. 

"Does he always sleep here?" She asked herself, then slapped him on the shoulder. "Pickle! Wake up!" 

"What?" He jumped, and looked around. "Oh. Hi, Babbit." He wiped drool from his chin. "What can I do for you?" 

"I want some robes." She stated plainly. She had decided to ignore the _sake_ scent. She didn't even WANT to know why it was there. 

"What? Why?" Pickle stood up and stretched out his arms. 

"Look, everyone knows that Rezo the Red Priest wore robes. How are you expecting me to impersonate Rezo when I don't wear robes?" She gestured to her clothes. She wore a green tunic that was belted at the waist by a black leather belt that held a sword on one hip, as well as brown pants and black boots. Her sky blue cape was securely fastened to her shoulders by large red jewels that were set in gold. The gold settings had been molded in to a form that resembled dragon's claws. 

"I think those clothes are fine, but sure. If you want robes, you can have them." Pickle yawned. "I'll take you to some right now." He then proceeded to lead Babbit through the corridors to a large room full of robes.

"These robes were intended for me... But I think they'll fit you just fine." He smiled. "Just pick some out, and you can keep them." She glanced at him oddly. 

"Pickle, do you REALLY think that I can fit any robes that were made for you?" She asked. She was a good deal shorter than him, coming up to only his shoulder. 

"Sure. Why not?" He shrugged. She was taken aback once again at how dense he was. Sighing disgustedly, she looked around at the robes. 

"Whenever you're done, you can come eat breakfast." Pickle waved, and left the room. 

"Breakfast. Probably more pickled vegetables." She whispered in antipathy. She turned her attention to the vast array of robes. Even if she knew where to look, if would take her a very long time to find it amidst all these. 

"_I recommend this one._" Rezo appeared nearby. 

"Oh!" She was startled by his sudden appearance. She tried to make a serious face. "What are you going to do when I mistake you for a Mazoku and shoot a fireball at you?" She couldn't hide the small smile on her face. He returned the smile. 

"_I wanted to thank you._"

"Whatever for?" She walked near him, and inspected the robes he indicated. 

"_For giving me such a wondrous gift._" 

"Really?" She smiled coyly. Then, remembering the robes, she added, "I think these robes will be too warm." 

"_No, it is necessary. Some healing magics draw their energy from the heat of the body. If you give all your body's warmth to the magic, you will grow cold and die._" He explained quietly. She looked at him thoughtfully. 

"I see." She picked up the robes. "Thank you for your advice."

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*sigh* Pickle was drinking _sake_... Can you guess who his drinking partner was? ^_^ R&R, please! 


	8. Jackpot! The great life and death gamble...

Chapter Eight: Jackpot! The great life and death gamble! ... Oh wait, that's all ready taken. 

Disclaimer: I do not own Slayers, or any of their characters. However, I do own Babbit, Yeshta, Pickle and Slipper. Varunia is borrowed from my sister. 

Enjoy!

And please review!

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Babbit learned more about healing magic that morning then she had in her entire life before. Of course, Rezo was doing it through her, but she could still study his techniques. By lunchtime, she was exhausted. This was certainly not the kind of thing that she was used to doing. When Pickle finally told her that there were no more monks, she slumped down in relief. For the most part, it was only simple healing, but some of the monks had had more serious injuries. 

"Why don't you go rest for a while, then you can leave when you feel better?" Pickle asked, resting his hand on Babbit's shoulder. 

"Don't touch me." She growled, wobbling to her feet. She glared sharply at him, but didn't say anything. She stalked out of the room indignantly. Pickle scratched his head. 

"I wonder what her problem is." He smiled. "Oh well. Time for lunch!" 

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Babbit had collapsed on the bed as soon as she reached her chambers. Muscles that she didn't know she even _had_ ached. She recalled changing out of her robes sometime during the night, and could rest peacefully. She slept for a long time, until a knock on the door woke her up. She groaned loudly at the door. It creaked open, and her other cousin, Slipper stuck his head in. Although he was Pickle's twin, they were nothing alike. Slipper was even shorted than Babbit, though not by much.

"Nice jammies." He said, walking in to the room. 

"What do you want?" She asked impatiently, sitting up.

"I wanted to tell you about what I've done." He smiled, sitting at a small table. 

"Hung yourself? Gotten a reward on your head? Killed a mazoku?" She guessed without much humor.

"No, this has to with you. And your parents." Slipper glanced around the chambers. "You've been staying here?" 

"Shut up and spill it." She snapped, climbing out of the bed and walking over to one of the windows. 

"All right, calm down. I traveled here from visiting your parents." He began. 

"_And?_" She asked sharply. 

"Stop being so touchy! At least let me finish what I'm saying." 

"You're the one that keeps pausing! Keep talking or get out of my chambers!"

Slipper sighed, lowering his head for a moment. He looked directly at her. 

"I've cast an anti-Rezo spell on you." He said proudly. She stood in shock. 

"Repeat that." She whispered.

"Yeah, it wasn't easy to do, but your parents were so worried that he would come back for you, that I just _had_ to help them-" He was cut off by Babbit grabbing the collar of his tunic and lifting him off the polished marble floor. 

"REPEAT WHAT YOU SAID BEFORE!" She growled in an inhuman manner.

"I cast an anti-Rezo spell on you?" Slipper's expression showed that he was confused at what was going on. 

"**WHY?**" She shook him harshly. 

"Because your parents were worried." He choked. "Babbit, would you put me down now? It's starting to-" He was cut off again. Babbit had flung him across the room, knocking him against a chair. The chair broke, and Slipper's head slowly oozed blood from where it had struck. He reached up with one hand, and started to cast a healing spell on the bump. Babbit strode over to him, and kicked his head sharply, knocking him to the floor. She placed one foot on his head, pressing it securely to the floor. 

"Who gave you permission to do something like that?" She pushed his head in to the thick blue carpeting. "My life is not yours to interfere with!" With that, she kicked him squarely in the stomach, picked up her pack and strode out of the room, still wearing her pajammies. Slipper writhed in pain for a moment. 

"Ouch ouch ouch ouch!" He sat up, and completed the healing spell on himself. "I just don't understand women!" 

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Oh no! An Anti-Rezo spell? And after she did such a good job healing everyone too! What will happen?! Read to find out! R&R, please! 


	9. The drinking partner, Revealed!

Chapter Nine: The drinking partner... Revealed! 

Disclaimer: I do not own Slayers, or any of their characters. However, I do own Babbit, Yeshta, Pickle and Slipper. Varunia is borrowed from my sister. 

Enjoy!

And please review!

***********************************************************************

Babbit strode down the halls of the temple, ignoring the stares of monks. 

_This is probably the first time they've seen "Rezo" strutting down the halls in "his" pajamas._ She thought ironically. She walked forcefully to the throne room Pickle was supposed to be in, and flung the double doors open without pausing even to knock. What she saw surprised her. Pickle was sitting at a small table across from Varunia, and each was holding a bottle of _sake_. From the empty bottles at their feet, and the heavy scent in the air, she guessed that this was not the first drink they had had this morning. 

"Oh?" Pickle squinted, looking at her. "It's Rezo!" He burped loudly, which sent Varunia in to fits of laughter. Babbit started at them profoundly. 

"I'm leaving, Pickle." She stated. 

"Huh? You're leaving a pickle for us? Why thank you, Rezo!" Pickle burped again, then suddenly clasped his head with both his hands. "The world is spinning!" Varunia gasped for air around gales of laughter.

"Oh, I hope it won't fling us off!" They both roared with laughter. Babbit shook her head, and started to walk out of the room, but was stopped by Pickle saying, "Say Rezo, even though you're supposed to be a guy, you're really hot in those..." He choked on a giggle. "Jammies!" His laughter was renewed with more force. 

"Since when are guys shaped like _THIS?_" She reached for Babbit, as though to rip her shirt off, but Babbit stepped to the side, causing Varunia to fall down on her face. Pickle walked towards Varunia, as though to help her up, but tripped on her instead. They shakily rose to their feet together. 

"REZO IS A GIRL!" Pickle exclaimed, taking Varunia's hands. They swung each other around, singing "Rezo is a girl!" In loud, drunken voices. Babbit looked at them in disgust, and quickly walked out of the room, leaving both of them to their foolishness. Politely, she closed the door behind her. After all, it wouldn't do to have the monks find out the truth about their priest and "Shabernigdo". She pondered momentarily if she should in fact, destroy this organization, but concluded that it was not the wisest of all things. After all, at least Pickle was staying out of trouble this way. As she started to walk away from the door, Varunia's voice caused her to pause. 

"Babbit? I thought you left!" A large explosion that shook the temple followed the exclamation. Babbit stood there, wondering if she should do anything. A moment later, the door flung open, and Varunia ran by, with Pickle right on her heels. 

"We gotta get more of that _sake_!" They exclaimed together. Babbit watched the scorched figures run down the hall. 

"I am definitely leaving this unholy place." She told herself decisively. 

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Oro? "Babbit, I thought you left." You wonder why that is? That's because Rezo came to blow them up for insulting him! ^_^ R&R, please!


	10. Time to go home

Chapter Ten: Time to go home 

Disclaimer: I do not own Slayers, or any of their characters. However, I do own Babbit, Yeshta, Pickle and Slipper. Varunia is borrowed from my sister. 

Enjoy!

And please review!

***********************************************************************

She paused at a nearby inn to change in to her normal traveling clothes. She had absolutely no desire to wander around Atlas City in her pajamas. As soon as she was securely dressed in regular clothes, she set out crisply. When she was a good distance from the city, she paused to rest for a moment. She debated with herself over what she should do now, and concluded that it would be best if she resumed the quest she had originally undertook. She took one of the blue jewels she wore off her ear, and let it dangle from her hand. It quivered as she chanted, and began to glow a deathly green color. She swung her arm slowly around herself in a circle. She completed the circle, and the jewel lost its glow, becoming dark blue again. She fastened it to her ear again. 

"That way." She murmured to herself, pointing towards the east. "The next crater is in that direction." 

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For the next month or so, Babbit traveled. It was the longest time in her life that she had ever been alone. She sat there in the forest, near a fire she had roasted dinner over, staring up at the darkening sky. She thought of many things. She remembered her home, and thought of her family. She could imagine them, eating dinner together. Froy spilled soup on his lap, and had cooled it down with a Freeze Arrow. Her little sister, Mari, had lost a tooth and nearly swallowed it. She imagined them going through their normal bedtime routine, brushing their teeth and reading bedtime stories. She imagined her mother leaning close to her father and whispering. "How do you think Babbit's doing?" as they drank one final cup of tea before bed. Gradually, the scene changed. She saw herself sitting in a grassy glade, wearing a flowing white dress. Then Rezo appeared. 

"_Dear one..._" He said, and extended his arms towards her. She reached for him, and then...

She woke up. For a moment, she thought she saw Rezo standing beside her, but he quickly disappeared, and she wondered if it was a piece of the dream that remained. She thought for a moment. Perhaps he had found a hole in Slipper's spell. She shook her head. She didn't want to get her hopes up. She glanced to the sky and was surprised to see that the sky was brightening with the first rays of dawn. She rubbed her eyes, and yawned. She must have fallen asleep. Yes, that was all a dream. But it made her feel a deep longing to return home. She stood up and watched the sky as it changed from dark purple to the pale blue of a new day. Yes, it was time to go home. 

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Go that way, Babbit-chan! Your family is waiting! So, reader, what do you think? R&R, please! 


	11. Welcome home, Babbitchan

Chapter Eleven: Welcome home, Babbit-chan 

Disclaimer: I do not own Slayers, or any of their characters. However, I do own Babbit, Yeshta, Pickle and Slipper. Varunia is borrowed from my sister. 

Enjoy!

And please review!

*********************************************************************** She arrived at the Magic University roughly fourteen days later. The first one of her family that noticed as she approached their house was Froy. Again, he was sitting on the porch and playing his flute.

"Don't you ever do anything else?" Babbit asked, smacking him on the head.

"Only when I have to." He lowered the flute from his lips. "Listen, Babbit, as soon as Mother and Father are through making a fuss over you coming back, there's something I gotta talk to you about." 

"Really. And what might that be?" She asked, sitting beside him on the steps. 

"For now..." He closed one eye and smiled mischievously. "_That_ is a secret." She blinked in surprise at his sudden imitation of Xellos. 

"Shut up, namagomi." She smacked him on the back of the head. 

"Since when do you imitate Filia?" He asked, rubbing the back of his head. She closed one eye and smiled mischievously. 

"_That_ is a secret." She answered haughtily, and walked in to the house. 

"Heh. Set myself up for that one." He smiled a little bit, and resumed playing the song. 

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"How long are you planning to be home for, Babbit?" Froy asked over dinner. She stared up thoughtfully. 

"That's a good question." She sipped milk from her glass. 

"You're welcome to stay as long as you want." Zelgadiss commented from where he sat at the table.

"Thank you, father." She set the cup down. "But there are still many things that need attending." 

"Will you be gone for a long time?" Yeshta asked, her face showing a hint of worry.

"It's difficult to say, mother." Silence hung in the air for a moment as Babbit thought. "When you kill a sorcerer, his spells will disappear, right?"

"You're not talking about Lina, are you?" Yeshta asked in surprise. 

"Oh, no, not at all. I am referring to someone much more... Troublesome."

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Oooh! A _troublesome_ sorcerer! Who do _you_ think she's talking about? R&R, please! 


	12. Stupid brothers and restless fathers

Chapter Twelve: Stupid brothers and restless fathers 

Disclaimer: I do not own Slayers, or any of their characters. However, I do own Babbit, Yeshta, Pickle and Slipper. Varunia is borrowed from my sister. 

Enjoy!

And please review!

*********************************************************************** The next day, Froy took Babbit to the magic study that was deep in the basement of the house, insisting that he had something important to talk to her about. 

"All right. What is it?" She asked in a demanding tone as he closed the door. 

"Listen. I haven't told Mother and Father yet, but your ghost boyfriend has been pestering me lately." He whispered. 

"Ghost boyfriend? I don't have a..." She stopped. "**_Rezo?_**"

"Shhh!" He waved his hands. "Yes, Rezo. He's really depressed about some keep-away spell that he says Slipper put on you." 

"And?" She whispered impatiently. 

"And... That's all." His head felt the sharp impact of Babbit's fist against his face. 

"You moron! Don't tell me such hopeful things if you don't have a conclusion to the matter!" She stormed out of the study. He lay there on the cold stone floor, waiting. The ghostly figure of Rezo appeared only moments after Babbit left. 

"How was that?" He asked, staring up at Rezo. 

"_Wonderful. Thank you for your assistance._" Rezo smiled. Froy smiled back. Things were truly getting interesting. 

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Babbit sat in her room, brooding. 

"Stupid brother. Saying such hopeful things with nothing to offer that will actually help the situation." She grumbled. "Now, what can I do to remove this spell from myself?" She asked herself, searching around the room for something productive.

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Zelgadiss Graywords had just gotten home from teaching a class at the Magic University. There were some things he needed to prepare for tomorrow's lesson, so he went strait downstairs to his study. He lit a magical light that Yeshta had devised specifically for the purpose of lighting a place where there could be a lot of magical energy going around without being affected by it. 

"_Zelgadiss..._" An eerily familiar voice whispered. He looked around, and came face to face with the ghostly presence of Rezo. He fell backwards, tripping on his own feet and landing on the floor with a solid **thump**. 

"What are you doing here?!" He demanded. His tone of voice could be defined as "angry" or "terrified", however strange of a combination it may be. 

"_I wish to speak with you on a matter of some importance_." Rezo replied calmly. Zelgadiss rose to his feet. 

"I have nothing to say to you." He stated abruptly, turning away.

"_Please, won't you hear what I have to say?_" Rezo's voice was pleading. 

"I will not." He refused, resting both his hands on the long bench that stretched along the wall. 

"_Even when it involves your daughter?_" Rezo stepped closer to Zelgadiss. He didn't reply. "_Do you not care about her?_" Rezo rested one of his hands over Zelgadiss's right hand.

"Don't touch me!" Zelgadiss yanked his arm back, which passed right through the ghostly figure. "I DO care about my daughter, which is precisely why I do not want you to have anything to do with her!"

"_Please, talk with her. Try to understand what has been happening to her._" Rezo looked pained for a moment, as though he was remembering something unpleasant. He shuddered for a very brief instant, then resumed. "_Even as a child, there has been no one she could be close to. The Magic University had no one she could grow close to. That feeling has intensified greatly as she grew older._" He paused again. Zelgadiss neither spoke nor moved. "_Please, try to understand, or she will die from this feeling of loneliness._" He shimmered, and disappeared. Zelgadiss considered his words. Perhaps Rezo had been correct. It certainly was true that there were very few people that Babbit associated herself with. Zelgadiss nodded to himself. It was time that he discussed things with Babbit herself. 

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A discussion is coming up! A discussion is coming up! What will be the outcome? R&R, please! 


	13. Xellos! His one and only appearance!

Chapter Thirteen: Xellos! His one and only appearance

Disclaimer: I do not own Slayers, or any of their characters. However, I do own Babbit, Yeshta, Pickle and Slipper. Varunia is borrowed from my sister. 

Enjoy!

And please review!

*********************************************************************** Babbit had searched around her room for a long time, seeking anything that could help her. When she found nothing, she collapsed on her bed, and broke out in tears. She wanted so badly to see Rezo again, to hear his soft voice, to feel his gentle touch on her face. She nuzzled her face in to the pillow, sobbing. She stayed that way until there was a knock on the door. 

"Babbit?" Her father's soft voice came through the wooden door.

"What?" She asked, sitting up and hastily trying to dry the tears on her face. 

"May I come in?" 

"Oh! Of course, father." At her answer, the door slowly opened. Zelgadiss had a surprised look on his face. 

"Babbit. Were you crying?" He asked, shutting the door behind himself as he walked in to the room. She nodded, and rubbed her eye. 

"It's only because I'm so happy to be home." She lied. She had hoped in vain that he wouldn't notice, and didn't want to explain why she truly was crying. He sat down beside her on her bed.

"I'm sorry." He stared at the floor. 

"For what?" 

"For your loneliness." He turned, and gazed at her. 

"Don't be silly. I'm... not... lonely." She sniffled as tears began to slip down her face once more. She threw herself against his solid chest, and sobbed on to him. For a long time, they sat there together. Zelgadiss murmured reassuring things while he gently rubbed her back. Finally, she had exhausted herself. She yawned hugely. He stood up slowly, lying her head on the pillow. 

"Why don't you get some sleep?" He suggested gently.

"The candle..." She mumbled in to the pillow. 

"Don't worry about it." He blew out the candle. "Good night, Babbit." He opened the door, and began to leave. She tried to mumble a reply, but nothing came out. He looked back on his daughter, feeling pain in his heart for her. He closed the door softly, and came face to face with Xellos.

"Now isn't this a dilemma?" The purple haired mazoku smiled. "It's very delicious." He added. Zelgadiss had just opened his mouth to say something when Rezo appeared between himself and Xellos. 

"_You will not feed off Babbit._" He stated firmly. 

"Oh?" Xellos opened one eye, then closed it again. "We'll see." He disappeared. Rezo disappeared as well, leaving Zelgadiss standing in the hall with his mouth open.

"Zel?" Yeshta's voice called as she neared him. She came around a corner, and surveyed the scene. "Oh my. Did something happen?" 

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By the way, what do you think of the titles that I pick out for these? R&R, please! 


	14. Breakfast and Travels

Chapter Fourteen: Breakfast and travels!

Disclaimer: I do not own Slayers, or any of their characters. However, I do own Babbit, Yeshta, Pickle and Slipper. Varunia is borrowed from my sister. 

Enjoy!

And please review!

*********************************************************************** When Babbit woke up, it was morning. She inspected the room, and found the candle that had been there the night before was missing. She thought for a moment, and remembered what had happened. She mentally chided herself for crying like a little kid. She wondered if her father's opinion of her had lowered. Sighing, she walked out of the room, going to the kitchen. 

"Good morning, Babbit." Yeshta smiled as Babbit entered the kitchen. 

"Good morning, mother." Babbit said, walking over to her. "What is this that you're making?" Yeshta smiled. 

"I don't know." She answered, and turned back to the pan she was frying on the stove. "It seems to be some variety of stir-fry meal."

"What?" Babbit stared at her mother in confusion. 

"Well, last night, I had a dream that Rezo asked me to make this for breakfast. It sounded delicious, so I decided to try it." Yeshta explained, and sprinkled sliced almonds in to the pan. Babbit sat down at the table, making a face. _Why can everyone see Rezo except me? _She thought irately. _Because of the Anti-Rezo spell on me, of course._ She reminded herself. _Slipper... If you don't take this spell off me, I'm going to kill you. Painfully._ Her expression turned vengeful. Yeshta set a plate of the strange looking stir-fry in front of Babbit. 

"Let me know how it came out, okay?" She smiled. 

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"I'm leaving now." Babbit announced after breakfast had been eaten, and she had gathered her things again. 

"So soon?" Zelgadiss looked up from his cup of tea. 

"Yes father, and I do not know when I will be back." She stood in the doorway, trying to be strong. She was not ready to leave her family, but she wanted to find Slipper as soon as she could.

"Be careful okay?" Yeshta said worriedly. 

"I will, mother. Farewell." She bowed to them respectfully, then turned and left the room. She walked down the hall without pausing and left the house. This time, Froy wasn't on the porch with his flute. She sighed quietly, and walked down the road. She decided to go back to Atlas City and see if Pickle knew where Slipper was. Hopefully, she wouldn't get caught in the service of "Shabernigdo" again. 

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Can Babbit-chan find Slipper again? Will she kill him? R&R, please! 


	15. Scary Situation! The Temple of Rezo!

Chapter Fifteen: Scary Situation! The Temple of Rezo!

Disclaimer: I do not own Slayers, or any of their characters. However, I do own Babbit, Yeshta, Pickle and Slipper. Varunia is borrowed from my sister. 

Enjoy!

And please review!

*********************************************************************** Several days later, she found herself in the middle of a forest as the sky began to darken. She did not feel safe in this forest, for reasons she could not explain. She came to a large and steep mountain, and studied it for a moment. It seemed more practical to camp here for the night, and climb the mountain in the morning, but Babbit still didn't feel safe here. Sighing again, she cast a levitation spell, and rose steadily off the ground. The mountain was much higher than she had originally thought, and by the time she reached the top, she was very thoroughly exhausted. She lay there, on the flat top of the mountain for several minutes before she slowly sat up and looked around. There was a very large temple that way barely 10 feet away from her. She pulled herself to her feet, and walked towards it. There was no entrance here, so she walked around what appeared to be the outer wall of the temple. She walked through the magnificent gate, and continued through the courtyard. There was a fountain that was overgrown by weeds, which caused Babbit to wonder about the temples age. The structure itself looked to be less than 10 years old, and the growth in the weeds informed Babbit that it had been perhaps 4 years since the building was abandoned. 

"What's this temple dedicated to?" She asked herself aloud, and walked through the majestic doorway in to the temple itself, and got her answer. There, in the front room, was a large and grand statue of Rezo. She sighed in irritation. 

"Is the whole world trying to remind me of my loss?!" She cried in a thin voice. She sunk down to her knees. A tear fell from her face, and spattered on the floor. She leaned her forehead against the cold stone floor as more tears joined the first one, forming a puddle. A cold feeling suddenly overtook her. She sat up quickly, and looked around the room. 

"A grand temple such as this..." She whispered. It was obvious that there had been a lot of work put in to this structure. The people who had bothered to build it would not have abandoned it so suddenly. "Unless there was a reason." She rose to her feet, alarmed. It did not seem like a safe place to spend the night. As she started to turn and leave, she heard ghostly voices approaching. 

"_Lord Rezo..._" They howled. Nearly a dozen ghostly forms appeared, extending their arms for Babbit. 

"I'm not Rezo!" She cried, and began to run away. She ran out through the courtyard, and as she ran through the gate, she tripped on a rock. She heard herself scream something as she fell headfirst down the very long staircase that she had not noticed before. 

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Ouch, ouch, ouch! Babbit-chan is in a lot of pain now! . I hope she'll be okay! R&R, please! 


	16. Healing in the Middle of Nowhere

Chapter Sixteen: Healing in the middle of nowhere

Disclaimer: I do not own Slayers, or any of their characters. However, I do own Babbit, Yeshta, Pickle and Slipper. Varunia is borrowed from my sister. 

Enjoy!

And please review!

*********************************************************************** When she came to, she was in a lot of pain. She could hear a voice casting a recovery spell on her. She slowly opened her eyes to see Amelia, the princess of Seiruun kneeling beside her. 

"What happened?" Babbit asked weakly. 

"Oh, you're awake." Amelia said in surprise. "I was going through this forest and I heard a strange noise that sounded painful. When I investigated, you were lying in the middle of the forest, bruised and bleeding." Babbit opened her eyes a little more and saw the group of Seiruun guards that surrounded them. 

"I'm sorry. Were you in the middle of doing something important? Royal business perhaps?" Babbit asked thoughtfully. The great pain in the various parts of her body were beginning to lessen. 

"Nothing that couldn't wait for a little bit. After all, it wouldn't be just to leave a hurt person in the middle of nowhere." Amelia answered with a smile. Babbit watched in odd curiosity as Amelia lurched in to a speech about justice. She had heard a story from her mother about how Amelia had once had a rather large crush on her father, Zelgadiss. She thought for a moment about how the story had gone, but couldn't remember it beyond the opening line. "Shortly after the defeat of Hellmaster Phibrizzo, there was some confusion over traveling arrangements." She tried to sit up, but the pain that jabbed her skull prevented it. 

"Don't try to move just yet." An unfamiliar male voice said from her side, opposite from Amelia. 

"Who are you?" She turned her head slightly to gaze upon this stranger. He didn't look particularly interesting. 

"My name is Vrumugun." He answered, and concentrated on the healing spell he was casting.

"He's my husband. We've been married almost 10 years." Amelia added. "We were on our way to visit his friend Zangulus in Xona. We're negotiating a trade route with them." 

"Oh. So that's the business you're on." She commented. With both of them casting healing spells, Babbit could soon sit up and began casting spells on herself. She paused for a moment. 

"Amelia-san, you mentioned that you found me in the middle of nowhere. What about the temple?" She asked. Amelia blinked. 

"Temple? What temple?" She asked. They stared at eachother for a moment. 

"There was no temple nearby." Vrumugun commented in a quiet voice. Babbit thought for a moment, trying to make sense of the confusion in her head. 

"Oh. I must have been dreaming it then." She said slowly, trying to think up a good story, or Amelia would tell her parents and they would start worrying about her again. She didn't want to make her parents worry. By mid-day, she was completely healed. She thanked Amelia and Vrumugun, wished them luck with their negotiations, and set off once again. About an hour after she left their company, she realized something. She had absolutely no idea where she was. 

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Lost? Who, me? What do you mean I can't put Amelia with Vrumugun? It's better than leaving her all alone, right? R&R, please!


	17. Starving Slipper

Chapter Seventeen: Starving Slipper

Disclaimer: I do not own Slayers, or any of their characters. However, I do own Babbit, Yeshta, Pickle and Slipper. Varunia is borrowed from my sister. 

Enjoy!

And please review!

***********************************************************************

Two days later, Babbit began to set up camp for herself, as she was still in the wilderness. The day was beginning to get dark, so she had decided that this was far enough for today. She set up a fire and began roasting some nuts that had fallen from a nearby tree. Shortly after she had begun to roast them, a creature came crashing through the bushes, and dove for the fire. 

"FEEEEEED MEEEEEE!" The creature cried. Babbit blasted it back with a Fireball. The creature fell backwards, where she investigated it. 

"Let's see. Looks like it might be human, reminds me of Lina and Gourry... Too short to be Pickle. You're Slipper and you haven't eaten for almost a whole day. Am I correct?" 

"Fooood............." Slipper groaned, staring up at her. "Please?" 

"Well, at least you have some manners. Pickle wouldn't have even said please." She paused, looking thoughtful. "Still, you ARE the one who cast the Anti-Rezo spell on me." She sighed. "Ah... What should I do?" 

"Babbit, you're a nice lady, right?" Slipper grabbed her ankle and rubbed his head on her foot. 

"Maybe we can make a deal. If you help me take this spell off of myself, I'll feed you for tonight, and give you breakfast in the morning." She looked down at him. "Deal?" 

"Deal, but feed me first! I can't think of _anything_ except how hungry I am!" He cried. 

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Yeah, so it was a short chapter. The next one will be longer, I promise! ^_^ \/ R&R, please!


	18. A Complete Spell

Chapter Eighteen: A Complete Spell

Disclaimer: I do not own Slayers, or any of their characters. However, I do own Babbit, Yeshta, Pickle and Slipper. Varunia is borrowed from my sister. 

Enjoy!

And please review!

*********************************************************************** After A dinner that consisted of the previously roasted nuts and a large number of fish, Slipper sat down and tried to remember how he had cast the spell in the first place.

"Let's see... I cast most of the spell at that weird temple on the top of a really big mountain that is about a week's travel from here… Then I went to Atlas City, and finished it up on you." He tilted his head thoughtfully. 

"You saw the temple?!" Babbit demanded in surprise. 

"Yeah. There were a whole bunch of weird ghosts, so I had to cast a Ghost-Away spell just to work on the spell. That was really tiring, trying to hold up a Ghost-Away spell while fiddling with a new spell." He paused again. Babbit took the opportunity to speak. 

"It seems to me like the Anti-Rezo spell is an alteration of the Ghost-Away spell." 

"That's right." Slipper nodded. "We could break it from here, but it would be easier to break it from the place I did the initial casting." He shrugged. "It's up to you, Babbit. It'll be harder from here, but I'm not sure if it's worth traveling so far for." 

"Any distance is worth traveling for this." Babbit whispered to herself. 

"What?" Slipper asked, startled. 

"Nothing." Babbit replied, then started thinking. _So that temple DOES exist! But how did I get so far from it while I was unconscious? Did Rezo help me?_ She wondered to herself. "Hey, Slipper. Is there any way that Rezo could break the spell from his side?" 

"Huh? I don't quite know what you mean. It would help up break the spell if he tried to break it too, but without us being willing to let him do that, he couldn't." He looked like he was trying to figure something out. 

"So he couldn't come while I was unconscious or asleep?" She asked. He blinked, and stared at her with wide eyes. 

"I never thought of that!" He exclaimed. "I thought he would come while you were awake if he was going to possess you." 

"Fool. Don't you know ANYTHING about ghosts? If they want to possess you, they'll do it while you're DEFENSELESS. Anyway, answer the question. Could he?" 

"Yeah. I didn't specify that in the spell, so I suppose that he could." Slipper yawned. "Can we do this in the morning? I'm tired." 

"NO!" Babbit snarled. "I'm sorry." She said in a quieter voice. "I meant, is there anything that needs done in preparation? Like a diagram?" 

"Yeah." He yawned again. He proceeded to lean against a tree and mumbled directions as Babbit carried them out. 

"Now what?" She asked, turning to him.

"That's all..." He mumbled, and started snoring. Babbit stared at him, and wondered if he had even been awake when he gave the directions to her. She hoped that the diagram wouldn't summon anything terrible, as she stepped in to the center of it. 

"Placing my soul in the magic circle, I come before you. Ghosts of before, hear my plead, and send me the one called Rezo." She paused, making motions with her arms. _This is a variation of a summoning spell._ She thought to herself, but quickly pushed the thought aside as she continued I a loud and clear voice, closing her eyes again. 

"Rezo, who is no longer of this world, heed my call and come before me." She felt the resistance of the previous spell pushing her back. "REZO! HEED MY CALL! APPEAR BEFORE ME!" She intensified her calling. She felt something, like a pulse of energy encircle her, and the magic circle beneath her glowed brilliantly. She felt the resistance of the spell again, but this time, she fought against it with all her might. She felt it shatter suddenly, and she fell foreword, landing on the dirt with a soft THUMP. She was unconscious. She awoke a little while later, as the sky was beginning to lighten, promising that the sun would soon rise. She moaned softly, sitting up slowly and touching her aching head. 

"_Dear one, you have succeeded._" Rezo stood beside her, with tears of joy slowly sliding down his face. 

"Rezo!" She stood up completely, and threw herself at him, but passes through him, falling in to the dirt once again. She slowly sat up again, tears of mixed emotions in her eyes. "Rezo, I'm so happy to see you, but I can't touch you..." She reached one hand out to him. His ghostly hand met hers, but she couldn't feel him. 

"What's going on?" Slipper asked, sitting up and rubbing his eyes groggily. 

"I finished the spell without you." Babbit said crankily, wiping the tears from her eyes. 

"Really? Good for you. Feed me. You said you'd give me breakfast too." He yawned and stretched. "Oh? Hi, Rezo." He greeted. 

"_Hello._" Rezo returned the greeting, unsure of how to react. 

"So, what are you planning to do now, Babbit? Marry him?" Slipper yawned again, and started gathering wood for a fire. Babbit blinked in surprise. 

"I hadn't thought about it." She answered quietly. 

"Well, if I were you, I'd go to those weird guys who did those cloning experiments a while ago, and see about making Rezo a new body." He trailed off explaining why that was a good idea. Babbit looked to the horizon, where the sun was just beginning to peek over the mountains. It seemed reasonable enough.

"Rezo, how would you feel about that?" She asked quietly as Slipper continued to ramble about his idea. "Being officially resurrected, that is." Rezo smiled a little bit. 

"_I would like that very much, but I feel I would be dishonest if I didn't inform you that..."_ He paused, his expression flickering like the candle he had watched so intently in Atlas City. 

"That I wouldn't be your first love?" She asked, watching as his expression looked pained for a moment, before looking apologetic. 

"_That much is true. Also, you are descended from my blood, and I fear that that would prevent us from producing children." _ At Rezo's words, Babbit felt her face begin to turn red with embarrassment. 

"Th... That's not what..." She paused, shaking her head, to rid herself of the stinging blush. "Listen. First, _both_ of my parents have been chimera-ized, so I have no true blood relatives, and second, a new body would mean a new chance, just as the rising of the sun means a new day." She was unsure of the meaning of her own words, but Rezo nodded his head in understanding. 

"_If you do not object to the knowledge that you are not my first love, then I would be honored to become flesh once more and be by your side._" 

"I do not object to the knowledge. However, I would request that you do not constantly remind me of it. I do not ask to be your first love, but to be your only _true_ love." She wondered if her words were selfish as they left her mouth. 

"_Agreed. I shall never forget my previous loves, but I will not speak of them unless it is by your request._" 

"Agreed. Then let us set off in to the brilliance of the new day, with the hope of being together tomorrow." She smiled, and her heart ached only slightly. 

"Hey Babbit, I'm hungry. Feed me. It was part of our deal, remember?" Slipper whined, as he had finally finished his speech about how good his idea was. 

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Dun-da-dun! The end! What should I do for a sequel to this? Tell me in a review! ^_^ \/ 


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